Secret Rune
by Lady Zahara
Summary: While rummaging around the attic Dib finds a most intriguing book that was written by someone who had the strangest encounters with a group of students in the paranormal club. Who could have wrote this book, and why was it in his attic.
1. A Dusty Old Book

Dib rummaged through the boxes in the attic. He was certain that the copy of the file he was going to send to mysterious mysteries was up here. While Zim had erased his memory of where the disc had been, he hadn't removed Dib's thought process of hiding stuff. So logic dictated that if he wanted to hide something he didn't want his dad or Gaz to throw out, he would have put somewhere in the attic. Where in the attic was an entirely different story.

"This is ridiculous! How many boxes are in this attic?" Dib yelled in frustration at the walls of cardboard. He rummaged further among the maze of boxes, getting increasingly careless as he went. He bumped into a particularly tall stack of them, sending the whole tower crashing down. "Great, just great! Look at this mess!" he then picked up boxes and began shoving old pictures, Polaroid cameras, and papers into their rightful places. That is until he came upon a book. The dark blue leather was soft and faded, its pages lay facing the floor. In many ways it looked like one of Dib's many spell books. "What do we have here?" Dib asked to no one in particular. He gingerly picked up the old book and turned to the first page. It seemed to be a journal. The page read as follows:

_**Today was the worst day of my entire life. I finally found out that I was going to the school of my choice. It's large and should actually teach me something that I don't know already. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the worst person in my class is also going, Axis Alcatraz. He is by far the dumbest, weirdest and most egotistical jerk that I have ever had the displeasure to meet. Not to mention he is totally insane! He has stood on the teacher's desk and played the clarinet (badly I might add) during study hall and no one noticed. I asked someone why they didn't care that he got away with stuff like that and they said it was because he was from Barcelona! Everyone seemed to think that his home town was a perfectly good excuse for all the weird stuff he does!**_

_**O.K. I admit the fact he came from an eccentric South American city does explain some stuff, but not all of it right? What's worse is that he keeps calling me Doc and every time I try to correct him he just nods and walks off. It's so frustrating having to sit in the same room with him. Not to mention the fact that he thinks he's a god or something so he continues to call me inferior and stupid. There's only so much one person can take. I followed him the one time he got sent to the office. He and his friend were talking and once the door opened the girl he was with stared randomly gargling. They stepped inside and he started going on about how her uncle thought that he was St. Jahosefat and that he was related to a guy that fiddled while Rome burned. What's even stranger is that he suddenly started singing that they were a part of the cult of the chilly pepper mole people, while standing on his head mind you and his friend started shouting 'WHOOP!' repeatedly during her role on the floor. The principal didn't know what to do but stare and excuse them from the office. **_

_**Once they exited the office they started cracking up and he was like 'She thinks we're totally insane, now we can do whatever.' How lame is that! He just played the school system like a sap just so he won't be held applicable for his actions. I am willing to bet that he'll do the same thing for High school. Meaning if I want to get any justice I'll have to do it with my own two hands. I just hope I won't have to and that he'll leave me alone. Unfortunately that is about as likely as finding a diamond in my breakfast cereal.**_

Dib heard Gaz call him down to dinner. "I'll be right there!" Dib called, "I guess I'll have to read the rest of this later." Dib said aloud as he pocketed the book. "I really need to stop talking to myself." To Dib this new found book was really interesting so far, and he was a little curious about how the author's problem with Axis would end. If only he knew who wrote it he would have a clue as to who put it up there to be forgotten. "Hey Gaz, I found this book and-"

"Just eat your beans Dib so I don't have to see your face any more." Gaz growled while playing her game slave. Dib shoveled the beans like he did with the potatoes at school. The sooner you get them down, the better off you'd be. Dib ran upstairs and opened the book again reading the next entry.

_**I was a little late for the first day of high school today. Sometimes I wonder why they don't start school after lunch. It has been proven to be better for students. If only more people paid attention to science instead of thinking it's for nerds and losers, but I am getting off track. I had made it to school ground just before they closed the door, which by the way, were closing as I walked to class. That's when I heard a girl's voice from above.**_

_**"Watch out!" I turned just in time to have a roller skate smash into my face. Some weird girl had succeeded in stepping on my face, knocking me to the ground in the process. I briefly saw colorful hair and a white uniform as the girl ran off. I remained however on the pavement in major pain; I have two black eyes from where her skate collided with my goggles. That was about the time I met the first person who treated me like a human, I guess he's my friend now. I don't really know though… I never really had much time to socialize as becoming an inventor is serious work. Not that I'm all that good right now. I still can't fix the toaster in my kitchen.**_

_**"Oh my gosh! I saw the whole thing. Are you O.K.?" This person who helped me had cotton candy colored hair and some rhinestones near his right eye. I say 'his' loosely since I can't for the life of me figure out which gender he really is and asking a question like that would be just plain rude. "I'm Hollywood! But most people call me by my last name Rain." He said, helping me to my feet.**_

_**"Hollywood Rain?" I asked.**_

_**"Pretty weird name hunh? What should I call you?"**_

_**"Doc." I said, that's right. I got so used to Axis calling me it that it just came out. Now I really want to hurt him ,becauseif he didn't do that the whole time in middle school, it wouldn't have stuck to me like glue. "Come on," I continued , already walking ahead, "we need to get to the opening ceremony." I walked with Rain to the mess hall. Our school was separated into two classes, the morning class and the afternoon class. That was before I came here. Apparently, there weren't enough students in the afternoon class to reason having separate classes. At least that's what they told us, but I think the school is suffering in the finance department because there aren't any new uniforms. I sat in the stands to watch the cheerleaders bounce around when all of a sudden a girl came out of the audience in a neon purple and lime green outfit with a weird symbol on it. She danced and sang a song in a foreign language. I still can't believe it took me half the song to realize that she was the girl who stepped on me. I was livid and somehow (I don't remember how) I ended up on the court with her, "You're the girl who stepped on my face this morning! And why? To do some stupid stunt to get attention!"**_

_**"Hey," she shot back, "it's not like I didn't warn you. You have no one to blame but you and your dirt filled brain."**_

_**"You said watch out as your foot slammed into my face!"**_

_**"My foot didn't slam into your pathetic face thing, your face got in the way of my foot!"**_

_**"You're insane!" I cried at the girl, whose insults did nothing but confuse.**_

_**"I'm insane? No, I'm not insane! I am revolutionary!" she struck a triumphant pose as she proclaimed this.**_

_**"Your crazy and I'm going to prove it! I'll show the whole school how crazy you really are! Then you'll get locked in the loony bin where you belong!"**_

_**"Just try you… you… ga-shquee-ga-sploosh!" she shouted.**_

_**"What does that even mean?" I exclaimed, "Did anybody else find that strange?"**_

_**"What are you talking about?" a random kid called. I sighed most people are so determined to stay in their safety bubble that they close their own minds. It's kind of sad actually. This is why I'll have to have hard core evidence to convict her. I'll find it and from what I've seen it shouldn't be that hard.  
**_  
Dib sat back. It was kind of freaky how close he could relate to the author. Sure he wasn't hunting a deranged green alien with delusions of grandeur; he was just hunting a deranged girl with delusions of grandeur which made about as much sense. "I wonder if he actually catches her." Dib wondered aloud.

**AN: I hope you enjoy this, reviews are always appreciated. I do not own Invader Zim and sit tight while I work on the next chapter. Beta read by DCFan4EverCSHK.**


	2. Toasters Can Explode

Dib sighed, class was sooooo boring. It was like he could feel his brains liquefy, and not in the good way. He glanced over at Zim who, like the rest of the class, was doing nothing. He reached into his bag and pulled out the old book once more and opened the yellow pages.

_**That weird girl that I am investigating is named Amalthia and she's friends with AXIS! Why am I not surprised that the two people that annoy me the most are good buddies? She is also friends with some kid named Zen. He has really blue hair and wears a different pair of sun glasses every day, none of them normal of course. I have also noticed that Amalthia has unnaturally golden eyes. I would have taken more notes at the time, but Axis hit me over the head with a book. I never had known how heavy the geometry textbooks were until that day. So I had to get him back and it all happened during Science class three days after school started.**_

"_**Hey Doc," Axis sneered, "how's that inventing thing going for you?" He asked with a smirk and tinkering with his weird back pack thing. The back pack has all these robotic parts in it. He treats this invention of his like a child and frankly I'm sick it. "Are you still working on that toaster from fifth grade?"**_

"_**I'm doing just fine. I've had some setbacks but it's almost done."**_

"_**So what's it gonna' do? Make super toast or something?" Axis stated sarcastically, in all honesty I have no idea what it's going to do. I just want the silly thing to work without causing a power outage or bursting into flames.**_

"_**Something like that, but not right now I'm busy."**_

"_**What could you possibly be doing?"**_

"_**I'm observing Amalthia for any erratic behaviors." Why he couldn't have left me alone I'll never know.**_

"_**Uhh… What?"Axis looked at me like I had a moose on my head. "I'm sorry but it sounded like you said you were watching Amalthia."**_

"_**Yah I guess you could say that." I looked over at Axis, I couldn't quite figure out what was bothering him about that. **_

"_**So… how long have you been doing this?" Axis asked mildly concerned, he tried to work on his Portable Kit or whatever he called that thing, but apparently I was distracting him.**_

"_**Three days, four hour, twenty-three minutes, and two seconds."**_

"_**Nice," He shouted wide eyed, "You're just as bad as that chick that was following Tom Cruise." He had abandoned working on his thing for the moment.**_

"_**No I'm not, she was a stalker." I looked at the broken toaster in my hands and formed an idea. Oh how he would pay, the nerve of calling me a stalker! It didn't help that he started singing The Police song I'll be Watching You. "Hey isn't that Junior girl looking you over?" I asked; Axis immediately darted over. I went to work putting the toasting device from my disassembled toaster into his device and toke our some large laser or something and hooked it up to my toaster.**_

"_**You were wrong, as always-," he stared at my lame attempt to act casual, "why are you hiding you toaster behind your back?" I stumbled looking for an answer.**_

"_**I finished it; you wouldn't understand its brilliance." I attempted desperately, I really hoped that that would satisfy him.**_

"_**O.K. then let us see it toast. I want to watch you fail again." I was kind of at a loss. In hind sight I probably shouldn't have plugged it in, but I did. So it kind of exploded, I ran from the smoke filled classroom certain that he would find out. I dashed over to the English class and briefly stopped in the door way.**_

"_**That was little misshape in the Science lab no need to panic," I turned to see Axis running down the hall angrily, he definitely found out what I did, "unless you're me." Once again I ran down the halls out to the court yard.**_

"_**Doc! Get your ass back here!" I tripped and fell onto the hard dirt; this was not going to end well. At least that's what I thought, as Axis neared me I heard Amalthia bark a command.**_

"_**STOP!" she screamed, "AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON!"**_

"_**Why should I listen to-"**_

"_**I said quite!" she growled sinisterly, I had no idea how menacing she could be before. "Now Defense Officer Axis, explain what happened here!" I have no idea what she was talking about, only that she was addressing Axis at this point.**_

"_**That thing put a toaster in my pack!" Axis recited at her authority.**_

"_**And what are you going to do?"She shouted.**_

"_**Remove it with as much malice as possible mam!" Axis saluted.**_

"_**Good, you are excused." Amalthia said, finally pacified, "As for you Doc!" she came uncomfortably close to me. "I pray for your own safety that you stay out of the affairs of me and the other members of the Paranormal Club." Amalthia turned and stormed off, I know that it's probably a bad idea but I have to check out this club of theirs. If I can find out where it is held I can put cameras in the room. That way I can spy on their activities and improve my chance of proving once and for all that Amalthia is mental disturbed. Who knows I might even be able to ship Axis off in the same boat. After all the saying goes that birds of a feather flock together.**_

Dib snickered at the entry. Finally some action was happening in this book, he might even be able to avoid any mistakes the author makes in his endeavor. He put the book back in his bag, even though he never did find that evidence in the attic he had made quite a find, a find that also caught the attention of his enemy. Zim had watched Dib pull out the book during class, a book that the Dib-worm seemed to be enjoying instead of watching Zim. What could be in that book, the makings of a super weapon, all the knowledge of Irk, or worse the answer keys to all the upcoming tests? He had to get his hands on that book. Or at least trick the Dib into telling him what was inside. Lunch came around and the Dib was once again reading that stupid book!

_**I have noted that Amalthia has a habit of using the lunch tables as her own personal stage, I can only begin to fathom how often she has done it before. This brings me to the events of today, club initiation day. Many clubs have their own kinds of initiations some make you pay, a few others have a test, but the Paranormal Club had something far from ordinary. Amalthia got up onto the tables during lunch in a costume that you might have seen in an old science fiction movie. I actually managed to get my camera out in time to capture her doing a musical number on the lunch tables. Axis had hacked into the light system and Zen worked on pumping background music in the intercom. What's more is that rather than laugh or mutter in confusion when she went to get on the table, they just moved their lunch off the table like it happened every day. Naturally when I showed the tape to the principal he said that it was perfectly normal for the Paranormal Club to do strange stunts to see if the new members can tolerate having that kind of attention thrusted on them. Normal? What is normal about dancing on a table during lunch? **_

_**It looks like I'm going to have to try harder to get that… thing out of the school. I just wish that there was some concrete evidence that I could get my hands on, evidence that can't be swatted away with bogus excuses. Even that seems a little too much to ask for. I asked Rain to hang out with Amalthia after school today. He's going to tell me if they do anything that could help my cause. I'd do it myself but Axis has been on edge since the toaster fiasco. The last thing I need is to be chased off of my own personal project by him. I have been looking more into the afternoon class uniforms just in case there might be another reason for there being that sort of class and I think I might have found something. I have seen the afternoon students wearing arm bands; I have seen three different kinds so far. If only I can find out what they mean.**_

On the page below the entry there were three symbols. One had the Greek symbol for Earth in a triangle like shape; under neither it was Amalthia's name and the colors navy and black. A different symbol, which looked like half a gear, had Axis's name under it and the colors red copper. The last symbol looked like an elaborate trident with the colors sky blue and purple along with Zen's name. Dib was so absorbed in the book that he didn't hear Zim sneak up on him.

"So Dib thing, what are you reading?" Dib jumped at the sound of Zim's voice.

"It's a book Zim, but that's not important right now." Dib replied, "Why you behind be, when usually you're over there spazing… Are you up to something?"

"Of course not," Zim said in disgustingly sweet voice, "why should I be up to something to want to talk to you?"

"So you're not up to something?" Dib asked, setting down the book to look at the confusing alien. Zim never acted like this, ever. Something defiantly was up.

"No I am just trying to be civil Dib-breath." Zim said inching a little closer, he was almost there. A few more seconds and he could swap Dib's book with the waffle recipe book behind his back. "Is that not socially acceptable in human society?"

"In society maybe," Dib said as he put the book back into his bag, "but not in elementary school." Dib walked through the double doors of the cafeteria. Zim waited until Dib had left, then jumped on the table.

"I was so close!" he screamed with ferocity, fellow students moved out of Zim's way as he stormed across the wood surface. "Why couldn't I get it? I AM ZIM!"


	3. Open Invitation

Class started again, but once again that was not what Dib was paying attention to. He opened the old book and read the next entry.

_**Today I sent Rain to spy on Amalthia and her so called friends, for the whole day. Then he reported back to me.**_

"_**I went to talk with Amalthia and she was more than happy to let me join the fun. I had walked with her to her other friends' house. Those kids were really weird one had candy apple red hair and wore this striped jump suit and a sweat band. Can you believe it, a sweat band!"**_

"… _**how terrible?" I tried.**_

"_**I know right!" He said, I don't really see what's wrong with wearing a sweat band, but there you have it. "The other one had periwinkle hair and was wearing like this navy dress and fish net sleeves. She wasn't nearly as lively either, kind of boring actually. So anyway I was walking with the three girls and then Axis showed up. He seemed to really like the red head girl. **_

_**He was like 'So what are your names?' to the girls and then the girl in navy was like.**_

'_**Hello my name is Tane.'**_

_**Then the other girl was like 'I am Del!' Then Axis was all 'I never met a girl like you before.' And he had this grin on his face and he continued, 'You're short and really loud… mostly short.' So Del was really mad then ranting and raving about how she wasn't short and was at a perfectly normal height and he said 'Whatever Shorty', Which made her even madder."**_

"_**Rain," I interrupted, "This is all really riveting, but did you find anything really bizarre about Amalthia?"**_

"…_**uhh she's nice?" Rain offered. I sighed. There**_ _**was only so much I could expect out of a third party individual. I didn't have anything really good on the other people who I knew nothing about. "I'm sorry." Rain apologized. I was kind of taken aback, no one has ever said sorry to me unless it was used to describe me. I guess that's what happens when people actually care about your goals.**_

"_**It's O.K." I said, "You're not obsessive compulsive like I am. That's to be expected. Don't take it so hard on yourself." I had at least succeeded in cheering up Rain, unfortunately that didn't help my problem. I haven't gotten any more information than from the first day I met Amalthia. It really aggravates me that I know all of these little things about her and they don't help me one bit! I haven't even found out why the afternoon class wears different symbols. I hope I get better information tomorrow.**_

Dib closed the book when he heard his name called. "Yes Miss Bitters?" Dib asked nervously.

"It's time for you to go home. So leeeeeeeeave." She hissed. Dib nodded vigorously and left as soon as he put his stuff in his bag. He hopped outside in a better mood than he had been in a few months. The sky was gray and dreary letting small little drops fall; it wasn't until the lighting rung through the clouds that he noticed he wasn't alone. As the light flashed a small whimper was heard by the front doors of the school. Zim was huddled against the door, his eyes squeezed tight.

"Zim?" Dib asked, the question making Zim jump three feet in the air.

"I wasn't scared!" Zim shrieked angrily.

"I didn't say you were scared." Dib said mildly surprised. Zim relaxed notably.

"Well that's good, because I'm not." Zim shuffled back against the wall. "So you can just leave because Zim is finer than any muffin you have ever poked." Dib shrugged, and walked home leaving his jacket by the door. All because he had this annoying desire to be noble. He entered his room and snuggled up to the warm covers and opened the book as his conscious stopped nagging him about Zim.

_**I looked up at the front of the class as the teacher seemed to jump back and forth with joy about the new students. She let them in and they each introduced themselves.**_

"_**Hello my name is Tane, ignore me and we'll get along just fine." Said the taller girl.**_

"_**Hi! I am Del! …now what?" she asked the teacher.**_

"_**Well why don't you just take you seats?" Del lifted her chair.**_

"_**Where do I take it?" It seemed like the teacher was thinking the same thing that I was, there was another two freaks to join the party. **_

"_**Drop the chair and sit down in it." The teacher said bitterly, despite her obvious anger, Axis**_ _**cheered.**_

"_**Shorty! Over here! Look at my amazingness!" **_

"_**How dare you call me short! My name's not Shorty."**_

"_**O.K. not Shorty." The teacher glared at Axis.**_

"_**If you're all through I would like to start class." I sighed: we had more freaks in class now. What struck me the most odd about the new afternoon students was the arm bands they were wearing. These ones were hot pink with weird black symbols on them.**_

"_**Those are the girls from yesterday," Rain whispered, "I bet they'll sign up for the Paranormal Club." **_

"_**Yeah probably." I replied. He had a point . If I was ever going to see into the Paranormal Club and their activities, my best bet would be to get one of them hooked up with a bug or spy camera. **_

Dib had dozed while reading, the book now hung limp in his hand.


	4. More Human Than Human

**(AN: Thank you for your patience with this chapter, it really means a lot to me that you guys continue to read my stuff. On a side note, I have put a poll on my profile so you can decide if I should start another Invader Zim fanfiction, or if I should wait a little while.)**

* * *

Dib woke up and shook his head. Had he really fallen asleep while reading? He lazily rose from the corner, stiff and disoriented. He picked the book up and heard a thump as a small object fell from the pages. It was a DVD disc with some chicken scratch writing on it that resembled the author's hand writing. Dib scratched his head and sauntered over to his computer unaware of the Irken outside his window. He slid the disc into the drive and pressed play.

_**The camera shook as he gained focus on the group before him. Amalthia was jumping around singing a random song.**_

"_**I want to be an air force ranger, be in the fire and in danger. One two three four automobile, I want to live on a Farris wheel." She walked right off of the **__**picnic table**__** and fell face first onto the ground. Her friends went over to see if she was O.K. "Stupid ground," Amathia muttered, "ruining my grove." A blue haired boy who could only be Zen snickered.**_

"_**Yes Amalthia, it's the ground's entire fault you weren't looking at the table."**_

"_**That's right!" Amalthia sulked, "Are you guys going to help me or just stand around like the useless soldiers you are."**_

"_**Don't look now Amalthia," Axis smiled, "you're on stalker cam!" Amalthia turned and faced the bush Doc was hiding in and growled.**_

"_**Doc! How dare you video tape me again and how dare you follow me… again! Are you trying to make a fool of me?" **_

"_**You don't need my help." Doc said from behind the camera.**_

"_**That's right!" she said defiantly crossing her arms. There was a long pause as Del and Tane exchanged confused looks. There was a stifled laugh followed by the following statement.**_

"_**Wow Amalthia. Not only are you crazy, you're stupid too." This received a sharp glare from Amalthia. "Didn't Aia teach you better?"**_

"_**You know about Aia!" Amalthia asked in shock, "Geez when you dig, you dig deep. I'm going to go to La Café later**_ _**but you already knew that didn't you." Amalthia glared and turned to leave. "I'm wearing my Tuesday underwear, but you knew that too!" She strutted off, her friends laughing behind her. Del stopped and sneered.**_

"_**Normal people like you make me glad I'm a…" she stopped mid sentence, she quickly changed her tone to one of panic. "Different kind of human, that's right Del is a human." She smiled nervously looking for an exit.**_

"_**What are you talking about?" Doc asked utterly confused. Del floundered for a moment before reaching into her teddy bear back pack and throwing a pink piece of cloth.**_

"_**Normal people suck!" Del screeched running off. Her victorious shouts could be heard in the distance as Doc picked up the cloth. He held up the strange symbol to the camera, it was an Irken arm band. Doc muttered to himself about analyzing it later and the screen went black.**_

Dib had fallen asleep when Amalthia had walked off in the video, but Zim on the other hand was staring aghast. He hadn't been the first Irken on Earth! That rubbed his ego the wrong way, and further peaked his interest. The disk had been in Dib's book of mystery. How he really wanted to get his hands on that book. It held the secrets to the other Irken plans. If only he could reach that book.

Dib snapped awake at the sound of Zim's soft foot step on the floor. He turned and saw nothing behind him other than the open window and his trench coat folded neatly on his bed. Dib looked around frantically and sighed in relief at the book still on the floor of his room. He scuffled to pick up the book and practically dragged himself down stairs. He splashed cold water on his face and sat at the table in the empty kitchen. He cracked open the book once more.

_**I have the best plan that I had ever had in months! I took this small camera that they use in security cameras and I stuck it in the green and purple teddy bear. Then I gave the bear as a gift from a secret admirer. She stuck it right into the club house of a paranormal club! **_

_**Well it's not really a club house, more of a base slash loft thing. I get the feeling that it's well lived in by the clothes and food garbage all over the coffee table. Anyway she really seemed to like the 'gift' and put it right where I can see all of their club activities. It amazes me how naive she can be sometimes. It's like if she isn't being a complete nut job then she is like a small child that found a **__**candy mountain**__**.**_

_**Well she has it in her club house and is treating it surprisingly well. Unfortunately I don't have anything useful right now. It's like she's using the paranormal club as a cover for something else. Something crazier than chasing after Big foot… heh big foot. She seriously was defending big foot's existence. Sometimes I want to know what goes through her head when she does stuff like tell the class stuff like that. It's a wonder why she is as popular as she is.**_

Dib shook his head, the paranormal was a legitimate field of study. So why was it O.K. when this was written and not now when he was in the carrier. It really seemed like a dark force was against his success.


	5. Lime Boy

Dib stood up to go to his room and change his clothes, completely oblivious to the alien sneaking over to his book. Being Zim, he didn't bother to read from the beginning and simply read the entry it was open to.

_**I went to the McMeaties today for lunch; I have no idea why I wanted their food. Especially since I knew what they put in it. Either way I had to go to McMeaties, and guess who was running the cash register? If you guessed Axis you won the grand prize.**_

Zim looked around, "Zim got no prize? Who is this Axis?"

_**I went up with a confidant smirk on my face. There was no way I would ever be stuck as a fry boy and he knew it. "I'll have the Double McMeatie and a medium fry. Did you get all that?" Axis snarled. I felt on top of the world having the jerk serve me. I gave him my money and he smashed my change onto the counter. Coins were flying everywhere; a permanent scowl was etched on his face.**_

"_**Oops," He said sarcastically, "now you'll have to pick up your money." I sneered; he always knew how to ruin the ride. I waited patiently for my food to get ready while he dealt with a girl who was talking to him at the counter. I saw my food sitting behind the counter, just out of my reach.**_

"_**Hey, could I just get my food-" I attempted, Axis turned to me.**_

"_**One minute pal." He said. That annoyed me. We weren't pals. That was an insult in the guise of the word pal. I did the only thing I knew. I fought fire with fire.**_

"_**O.K. buddy." He was glaring daggers and so was I.**_

"_**I'll get right on it chief." Axis spat as if it were venom in his mouth. It starting to get ridiculous. I didn't want us to start using military ranks, so I ended it the best I could.**_

"_**You do that, emo boy." He froze on the spot white with angry. I had known for a while that was a sore spot on him, getting linked with groups that is. Well he deserved it for making me wait until my food was cold to give it to me. Which is fine for me; a cold victory burger tastes better than a regular burger any day.**_

Dib walked down the stairs to see his book laying upside-down in a corner of the kitchen.

"That's funny," Dib said puzzled. "I didn't remember putting it there." He stooped down to pick up the rejected book while Zim made himself comfortable on the ceiling of the kitchen. That stupid book was in some kind of code. It had to be, why else would they talk of nonexistent fire? Dib read once more from the confusing book.

_**School today was incredibly frustrating, to a point of being down right stupid! I was in the lunch room having a fight with Amalthia… again. Our fights have become almost scheduled; it's kind of scary now that I think about it. Anyway, back to the events of today. It was a typical spat, I'd call her crazy and she'd say something confusing. Today however was different. **_

"_**You are really starting to grate on my nerves boy!" Amalthia screamed. She jumped onto another cafeteria table, naturally no cared. "Why can't you see that none of these people care about your feeble pride? Just leave me be, no one will stand in my way, no one that is except you. You don't even care about what I have planned, only that you get your stupid evidence to protect your excuse to constantly yell at me."**_

"_**So what do you have planned?" I asked.**_

"_**I'm not telling YOU! Ha, like I would tell you my plans. The thought alone is hilarious."**_

"_**Then don't say I don't care. If you think I'm going to stop, then you're crazier than I thought." I snarled.**_

"_**Fine, fine you push too hard Doc." She shrugged, "I will use this planet's obsession with TV and merchandise to eventually rule the world!" She smiled triumphantly. **_

"_**That's your master plan? You're going to rule the Earth?" I asked.**_

"_**Yah, that's pretty much it. Axis and the others are helping to. We're going to enslave all of humanity." She had the evilest grin I had ever seen on a human being.**_

"_**Did you all catch that people!" I shouted, "She thinks that she can take over the world. Do any of you find that odd?"**_

"_**YOU'RE LYING LIME BOY!" she shrieked, "I do not think I can take over the world, I know I can take over the world." She strutted passed me.**_

"_**I don't know what you have," I growled, "but I'm sure it has letters and they make pills for it. I will make you take those pills Amalthia! I will do just about anything if you could be normal for FIVE minutes!" I turned to the other students, "Did you guys hear any of that?" The whole cafeteria turned off their walkmans.**_

"_**Did you say something?" asked a random kid.**_

"_**Awe just forget it. You always do." The whole cafeteria nodded in agreement. I swear that this world has reached a new level of infuriating.**_

Dib closed the book, his face wore no expression. One phrase rang through his head, Lime boy? How could that possibly fit into the context of the rest of her evil monologue? He sighed, since from what he could tell humanity wasn't enslaved. So that had to be a good thing, right?


	6. Ditch With Me

Chapter 6

Dib walked out the door with the book in hand. He had to get out of the stuffy house. Even though it was Saturday he still needed to spy on Zim and take some serious notes. Hidden in the bushes,Dib pulled out a pair of high tech goggles and looked through the metallic walls of Zim's base. Zim quietly snuck up behind Dib inching closer and closer to the book that was now lying in the grass. Just a few more inches and-

"Zim don't touch that book." Dib said blandly. He didn't even have to turn his head to know who and what was reaching towards his new favorite book. Zim poked the book in defiance. Dib grabbed Zim's hand and pulled him so that they were now facing each other. "Why do you want to get your hands on the book so badly Zim?"

"I- let go of me pig-beast. I do not have to explain myself to you of all people!" Zim used a spider leg to push Dib away. "Now give me that book!"

"I might read it to you if you tell me why." Dib teased, Zim growled.

"Don't treat me like one of your inferior class mates Dib! Give me the book!" Zim made a lung that was well avoided by Dib.

"You know, I think I won't. After all it is my book and it's very old." Dib smirked, "You might accidently destroy it before I can finish it."

"I would not, gimme!"

"Why do you want it so badly?" Dib asked.

"Because," Zim whined, "it has to be important if you won't let me see it!"

"It's just some old journal I found in my attic Zim." Dib said unimpressed, "If it really matters that much I'll read the silly thing to you. I won't give you it though, I have no idea how old it is and I already had to fix it with tape a few times." Zim sat on the filthy grass and thought about it for a good five minutes.

"…fine." He said reluctantly, "But don't think you can be little my intelligence. I could shoot you with a Parana gun, but that would most likely ruin that inferior information holder. Read to Zim Dib-slave."

"No." Dib said and ran off, Zim stared in disbelief.

"Curse you and your head full of Fabreeze!" Dib snickered; it was amazing how easy it was to tease the alien. Once he was sure that the alien couldn't follow him he climbed up the tree. There he opened the book in hopes that maybe it would have something that could help him.

_**I finally managed to find the Paranormal Club's secret base thin. I have drawn a map so I can find it again. It was hidden in the forest somewhere right of Mystic Hill. I don't really see how a hill can be mystical, but that's what they call it. All I had to do was follow Tane to the hid out. She**_ _**was carrying groceries to the club house. How much time do they spend in there to need cereal and other foods?**_

_**It had been really quiet for the past few days. I hadn't really noticed until today when I saw Axis in the hall. Rather than gloat about how amazing he was or insult me he just gave a passing glare. Axis is never quiet! If I knew he could shut up about himself I would have made him years ago. Then I finally realized why it was so quiet. Del and Axis had stopped arguing. I seriously couldn't go a day without hearing Del yelling at Axis for saying she was short or something. I still don't know why he couldn't leave the poor girl alone, and he called me a stalker. At least I don't follow Amalthia home! Well that's partially because I don't know where she is, but that's not the point. The point is that they stopped arguing and now it seems that they both are better off. The funny thing is that they still don't leave each other alone. I don't know what's going on, but that isn't what has been bothering me.**_

_**I had been getting a lot of pictures of Amalthia lately, hoping to find something useful. The problem? She posed in every single one of them! I don't know how she found out where I was every time, but she did. It's kind of creeping me out. I was in the bushes towards the end of class hoping to get a good picture of her doing a hand stand on the lunch tables (I really wish she didn't since she has to wear a skirt as a part of the uniforms) and she called me out on it!**_

"_**Hey Doc," she said, "you know the picture would look better without all that bush that's in your way." She stood right side up.**_

"_**I don't get it? Why aren't you getting all mad when you find out I'm taking pictures of you?"**_

"_**Why would I?" She snickered, "You have been following me around all year. I'm kind of used to it now. Besides," she said jumping off the table, "it's kind of flattering that you've been giving me your undivided attention."**_

"_**It's not supposed to be flattering." I grumbled.**_

"_**What? You'd rather me flip out and break your camera, which by the way has the flash on." I looked down, she was right. I hate it when she's right. She smiled at me and walked over to the wall. "I'm sick of school today," she sighed, "why don't we leave? I heard a carnival's in town."**_

"_**What makes you think I want to go with you?" I asked as she hopped onto the wall.**_

"_**You don't want to be my partner in crime?" she pouted, "You won't be able to keep tabs on me if you're stuck at school and I'm off school grounds roaming around."**_

"_**Even if I leave I'm not going **__**with**__** you." I mumbled, once again she had a point. If she did something weird off campus, I would want to know. I hopped over the fence. We walked all the way to the carnival and somehow she ended up beside me rather than in front of me. We walked onto the fair grounds and were immediately flocked by a heard of guys all asking Amalthia what she was doing with those disturbing looks on their faces.**_

"_**No thanks, I'm here with my boyfriend." She grinned and then turned to me, "I'm getting picked up because of my uniform. Can you wait here for a moment?" All I could do was nod helplessly. When did I lose control of the situation and since when did she like me enough to willingly be seen in public with me? It had to be a plan, it just had to be. When she came back she had planets hanging from her ears and a strange workout outfit that had her armband symbol stamped all over it in her traditional green and purple. "Well where should we go first?" I finally snapped out of my shocked state.**_

"_**When did it become we?" I asked with a tone a little less than horror.**_

"_**Geez, you really need to lighten up," she smiled devilishly, "after all you're in my playground." After that I gave up fighting partially so I wouldn't make myself seem like more of an idiot. I ended up being dragged all over the carnival as she tried to make me 'lighten up'. It didn't work of course, but what's strange is the fact that she tried in the first place. I swear I will never understand what goes through her head.**_

_**Today wasn't an entire loss, I got an idea. If I made myself seem like less of a hate filled rival, I might be able to get more information. It does seem like Amalthia will believe anything that I tell her as long as it's not as outlandish as the things she says. All I have to do is put on the best act in the history of the world, but it will be worth it in the end. **__**The truth is out there**__**.**_


	7. The Plan

Dib stared at the page in front of him, who was this master mind? He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the abstract logic reminded him of someone. Zim? No that wasn't it, he was just plain stupid. So who could it be? The author never disclosed his name, he didn't really notice it at first, but now it was really starting to bother him. He read further hoping that the author would tell him something important.

_**As I have read through my journal I feel so dumb that I haven't mentioned it before. Something is definitely wrong with Del and Tane. Not the 'hey one of your arms is shorter than the other' but in the, 'have you seen a looked in the mirror lately?' With Tane the difference is not that noticeable, but on to Amalthia. I have launched my newest and best ever plan. I have busied myself with observing from the sidelines. Which now that I look back on it was kind of creepy.**_

_**Any way I have started to try to beat Amalthia at her own gain and show her that I'm not the enemy here. She has been acting strange, well stranger than usual. Like for instance today she had her desk facing backwards for no reason, she didn't even have a lame excuse. It was like she didn't notice at all. My guess is that she is under a lot of stress. I mean can you imagine how hard it is to take over an entire planet, even with help. It kind of worries me that she hasn't been having her usual spaz attacks. Anyway I will use this opportunity of weakness to fool Amalthia into thinking that I care about her well being… even though I don't. **_

_**I can't care about her; she's the enemy to me and the entire planet. She plans using the Paranormal Club's combined intelligence to invent items that all of humanity will want. That will create a merchandising empire, one that the whole planet won't be able to live without. She claims that media is the way to go, but seriously wouldn't house hold stuff be a better investment for dependency? She also keeps mentioning the upcoming school dance as a dead line for her plans. So if I can just keep her distracted from her plans and such until the dance then I'll be golden. I have also noted that she wears a special necklace that she won't let anyone touch. I know that girl like jewelry and stuff, but that's going a little bit over board. Tomorrow I will set my befriending plan into action. **_

Dib hopped down from the tree disheartened, he still had no idea who the author was. He went into his room and set the book on his desk. He needed a break from all the reading he had been doing lately. As soon as he left Zim was in his room and flipping through the book. It didn't take him too long to catch up with where Dib was at.

"Using the human's television to control humanity? Hey that's not a bad idea! Zim has no dead line." Zim said smugly,

"Too bad for the little pig-smelly." Zim continued to read, completely ignoring the piece of paper that had fallen from the book.

_**I walked next to Amalthia today, for fake moral support. She seemed even more depressed than before; I don't think I'll ever understand that girl.**_

"_**So… how has Bigfoot been?" I asked, how was I supposed to know what stuff she liked to talk about?**_

"_**I'm not in the mood for patronizing right now Doc," she sighed, "so you can just drop it all right."**_

"_**No, I didn't mean to insult you! I just wanted to have a civil conversation with you." She looked at me when I said this genuinely surprised. "Look I haven't been exactly the best example of the species alright."**_

"_**You can say that again." She stared at me expectantly.**_

"_**I think once is enough, anyway I've been a jerk O.K. Writing notes about you all the time, following you around, taking pictures of you-"**_

"_**Actually I find it kind of flattering." I did a double take, every time I think I finally seen it all she pulls out another card. **_

"_**I mean it takes a lot of energy to do all that stuff. I haven't seen you follow anybody else so it's kind of nice knowing you're always there." She stopped in front of the gates. "Not that it hasn't been annoying as well. I really wish you find a more healthy way of dealing with your affection for me." She said as she began once again walking toward the main building.**_

"_**WHAT!" I yelled, I mean come on! Me like Amalthia? That's insane even for her.**_

"_**I'm having another Paranormal Club meeting tonight, maybe you'd like to come instead of watching from that teddy bear you gave me?" she asked with a smile. **_

"_**If you knew it was a hidden camera, why did you keep it?" I asked.**_

"_**Cause I think it's sweet that you gave it to me." She ran off leaving me utterly confused, my only consolation is that she didn't seem upset the rest of the day.**_


	8. New feelings

**(AN: I received two reviews and completely flipped out. I'm so happy you guys like the story enough to review. Thank you for your support.)**

"Pathetic human." Zim scoffed, "He can't even see the Irken soldiers and there's no mention of who rules the world!" He continued to look for answers.

_**We had a substitute teacher in class today. Not just any sub, one of those idiotic subs that follows last year's lesson plan. I sat next to Rain while the retard took roll. **_

_** "Mr. Sanchez?"**_

_** "Hear."**_

_** "Mr. Dwicky… Mr. Dwicky?" At this Rain stood up.**_

_** "Mam, that's my middle name. My-"**_

_** "It's last in the line so it's your last name! Now sit down Dwicky!" Rain slumped into his seat muttering something about Venus. Axis on the other hand was doubled over in laughter.**_

_** "Do you find something funny Mr. Alcatraz?" the teacher asked.**_

_** "Yes, yes I do…" Axis calmed himself," Those humans are so pathetic it hurts!"**_

_** "Did you hear that?" Rain whispered.**_

_** "Yeah," I said, "he and the other para-freaks always say stuff like that. They think they're going to take over the world or something."**_

_** "You know what that means right! They're aliens!"**_

_** "And how pray tell did you draw that conclusion?"**_

_** "Well they're strange and what human would want to take over their own planet?"**_

_** "Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler-"**_

_** "I get the idea."**_

_** "Do you know what they all had in common?"**_

_** "They had an affinity for angora?" **_

_** "What? No, they were all insane!" I said, "…is that angora thing accurate?"**_

_** "Surprisingly yes." He said, "But the idea that they are isn't that farfetched."**_

_** "Tell you what, you strap one to an autopsy table, then maybe I'll believe you."**_

_** "Geez, that's harsh."**_

_** "Yeah, yeah as long as I get my hands on Amalthia." As we left the class I saw a look of pure horror on Axis's face. It was one of the greatest moments of my life so far. **_

Zim continued reading; something had to be key in here!

_** I have found myself following Amalthia for different reasons as of late. It only really occurred to me after today.**_

_** "It's really nice that you started walking me home instead of following." She said smiling.**_

_** "You seem in higher spirits." I said, "Wait… how are you doing on that whole taking over the world thing?"**_

_** "It failed, I posted my cartoons on the web. It had its own production section on a site and everything. We even collaborated with three of the best cartoonist ever. We had merchandise and polls, we were a real hit! Then the government came in and shut it down thing it was propaganda. The plan probably wouldn't have worked even if they hadn't shut it down."**_

_** "With you in charge it could have. Everyone likes you."**_

_** "No they don't. They like the idea of me, and that's just a fad. After a while people like me will be obsolete and no longer the 'cool' way of thinking about the world. Once the dance is over people will probably forget my existence."**_

_** "That sounds more like a curse than a fad." She looked at me afraid, like I almost touched a nerve. "If what you say is true and you won't be able to get away with taking over the world like you have in the past. Why don't you get someone who they won't suspect to take over the world for you? Someone who doesn't mind that you're naturally different." **_

_** "That's why I like you." She said with a pause, "You could always see past everything, even though you didn't really know it. That and you never were blinded by my eccentric attitude not even for a moment. You only saw me. I just wish this wouldn't change."**_

_** "Well maybe it doesn't have to." I said without thinking. "I mean it's not like I'm gonna' catch a case of stupid or something and I'm not going to leave you all by yourself… Look if you ever need anything I'll be there when it counts."**_

_** "Then would you take over the world for me?"**_

_** "Wouldn't you rather have Axis or Zen do it for you?"**_

_** "No, they're not you."**_

_** "I…" my brain had shut down. Even though logically she was just standing there, to me it seemed like every inch of her was begging me to do what she had asked. "Fine, I'll do it for you!" I said rather loudly and ran off a mess." Most people when they like a person they give them flowers or take them on a date. Me, I said I'd give Amalthia the world. The only problem is, I meant it.**_

Zim stared at the page. If someone had conquered the Earth first, then it would have been this Doc-creature. Well whoever he was he did an awful job at keeping the humans in line. Or maybe he was dead, Zim snickered. The front door opened down stairs.

"Gaz, I'm back!" Dib called through the presumably empty house. Zim snapped the book shut and put it back where he had found it. He glanced at the floor, picked up the letter and ran out the window. He had some research to do on this Doc-beast.


	9. I Asked First

It had been hours and there was no information on Doc, or the Irkens that had been here. Zim slammed his head on the desk, it was as if they didn't exist. There had to be something on them, it wasn't like they had been made up or something. He had seen the video with his own eyes. Meanwhile Dib sat in his room reading the most recent entry in our tale so far.

_**I can't help it, even if I could I don't think I want to stop. Something about Amalthia captivates me; she compels me to follow her wherever she goes. That's the only explanation I could come up with when I waited for her on Mystic Hill for her to arrive. She walked up the hill when the sun crested over the city.**_

_** "You wanted to see me?" she asked, I could feel my nerves begin to slip. **_

_** "Yeah I did, I… finally got the plans we need." Yeah that's right; I couldn't spit it out at first.**_

_** "Really that's great!"**_

_** "I figured that we could use house hold items, you see people become slaves to the market so the best way would be to make everything people use in the future to be made by us."**_

_** "An umbrella corporation hunh? I like it, it's sure to work. So where are the plans?" **_

_** "I figured that after the school dance we'd go to my house and I'd show you then." Amalthia's smile faded to a look of confusion.**_

_** "Wait, you mean?"**_

_** "Amalthia would you please go to the dance with me?" There was a long pause.**_

_** "Yes!" She jumped onto me, I'd never seen her so happy before. **_

How could he do something like that? Just a few entries ago he thought this girl was evil incarnate. That and now he was taking over the world with alarm clocks and such with the guise of a business venture. Then again was there really a difference?

_**Things have been a lot better for me lately. I had gotten a new chain for this pendent Amalthia wears, it looks like a vile full of bright pink liquid. Her friends seem to hold less hostility towards me. Not only that, but Axis's 'I'm amazing' rants have been shortened considerably, what used to be an hour about how great he was has turned into twenty minutes. Which for Axis, is incredible. Zen on the other hand is extremely bitter. When I asked him why, he told me that he was supposed to ask her. That and that I ruined all of their plans. To which I replied calmly that I had asked her first and he hadn't come up. I finally got chance to set foot in the club house. There was a whole bunch of broken, foreign technology and some of Axis's failed weapons. Amalthia is really excited about the dance. On a side not, I fixed the toaster… and it works perfectly! **_

Zim continued searching until an idea popped in his head. None of these people came up, but surely there would be something on Axis. After all someone who talks about how amazing they are has to be amazing.


	10. I Forgot it All

Dib continued onto the next page which contained the entry in the worn book.

_**It seems that I have suffered a bout of temporary insanity. I could not recall what happened the previous night. When reading back over the entries I cannot understand where all this nonsense came from.**_

_** A girl named Amalthia did accidently step on me when I didn't move out of the way in time and I do remember vividly many of the arguments I got into with Axis over science. As for the transfer students and taking over the world, well I can honestly say that I wasn't nearly that fantastic.**_

_** I have found plans for an improved toaster that I feel compelled to use. To say that the past events were false would be a slightly harsh. I will say that it was most likely a case of my imagination getting out of hand. If anyone got their hands on this it could mean the end of any future career that I might have. To destroy this would be a mockery of the time it took to write this, so I plan on saving it as a private reminder to never act so juvenile again. **_

_**-Dante Membrane**_

Dib stared blankly at the page. There was no way, it just couldn't be, but it was. Dib's father had spent a good deal of his freshman year chasing after somebody he basically forgot existed. Not only that but it didn't explain why or how he became so cold in one day. Dib searched through the book looking for a missing page or an entry that was out of order. He still couldn't find the entry for the day of the dance, only the things that he already knew.

Zim found an article with Axis in it he opened up the article to find a picture of two bodies on a stretcher and handful of mourners.

_It was a grim day on the September morning when neighbors began to become suspicious of the silence that had fallen over the average home three days prior. Boyd's Sanatorium had reported that a patient Zen, who had been admitted to the hospital sophomore year after trying to kill his former friends, had escaped two days before the silence that hit the Alcatraz house hold. The sheriff had become suspicious when no one had heard from the two classmates of the escaped lunatic. Police had searched the crime scene for an hour before they came upon the horrific display that is now filling this morning's paper. _

_ Axis Alcatraz, age 24, had been impaled several times with a metal object, most likely a knife and then killed him with a high voltage shock. The weapon had not been found at the scene of the crime. His wife Del and their 14 month son were nowhere near the home. There was no evidence that Zen had been at the house, but through the helpful tips of a concerned citizen authorities began to search to forest where Del had ran from the murder with her son in hand._

_ Three days after her husbands' death Del's body was found in the thick forest in the next town over. She had died of arrhythmia, and her corpse had been mangled by the same knife that had been used to attack her husband. She was not alone when she had been found. Amalthia Membrane was found laying on the scene also her entire body had been cut and searched through. Zen's DNA and finger prints were all over the dead corpses. He has been detained and given life in prison._

_ As per the Will and Testament of the victims they have been buried in a private grave yard, the location which this reporter unfortunately cannot have. To add onto the misfortune Del and Axis's son has yet to be found. The child has a rare skin condition that makes his skin green in coloration. His name is Zim. If you have any information on the whereabouts of this child please inform the police department. _

Zim stared up at the screen, it was all too obvious now. How could this be possible? He was an Irken invader! Not some refugee from a back water planet.

"This can't be true, it just can't be. Could it?" Dib's mother had died because some crazy stink-beast had run rampant. "Why though?" Zim glanced at the piece of paper that had come from Dib's book of mystery. He opened it up and glanced at it. I need to find Dib, he might know what this means.


	11. Negotiations

"Dib." Zim called, it was lunch time and Dib was caught completely off guard.

"What do you want Zim?" Dib mumbled, he wasn't in the mood to argue with the alien at the moment. He was too lost in his own world to care. "Look if you want the book you can have it."

"Dib we need to talk, or would you want rather Zim keeps this letter." Zim said holding up the piece of paper that had fallen out previously, that caught Dib's attention.

"When-"

"You recall how you previously tease Zim about said book, correct? Then come with me if you want it."

_**I feel it is my duty to explain what happened at the dance as the last president of the Paranormal Club. I suppose the best way would be to explain my position in the whole ordeal. Along time ago a universal competition was held. One of the Empires, Irk, had won and launched a second attack on a rebel group of Irkens who formed a small and stable empire. What was left of the empire made a pact requesting that if they stayed on one planet, they would be left alone. In return they promised to take in any defective or banished Irkens under their wing. They chose this planet, Earth, where reject Irkens had been secretly running to for years blending in with Earth's environment and thusly becoming one with the inhabitance like my dear friend Axis's parents. Every so often Irk would send an invader to check up on us without informing the rest of the populous while they search the galaxy for something that is right under their noses.**_

_**It was my job as the 'ruler' of the now dead empire, I myself am basically a human save for a few small strands of Irken DNA, to protect a serum with the power to create a destructive force out of a single life form. It is the most powerful combination of magic and alchemy there will ever be. It was my dream to reunite the Furon empire by gaining full control of the Earth, the heart of Furon. As the ruler I also had an ability to attract false positive attention to myself. It wasn't because of who I was, but a pheromone. Even though I didn't want to I would attract humans and at one specific point release a chemical that dulls the senses of perception and awareness. If I didn't more than half of the hybrid populous would be exposed by the time I was twenty-one. We already had issues with our animals, computers, and people being hunted down for science (humans referred to them with things like chupacabra, ghosts, fairies, etc.) The wave would affect most humans and other than myself and my decedents.**_

_**It had also been determined that afterwards I would instinctively use the last of the pheromone to attract a 'husband', I have no specific memories of the night after the wave was released. Zen had planned to use this against me and steal the abyss serum from me. Lucky I had chosen to go to the dance with someone else. He had tried to break in and attack me, but someone called the authorities and he is now locked up in a mental facility. Tane and Del went back to Irk I believe because the observation period had ended, Earth is still considered useless and will most likely be whipped from there star charts. Axis moved to a small town nearby, I have no idea where. It's going to be hard living without anyone who understands what's going on. Doc remembers even less, his one time rivals now merely names in a year book. Now I'm some weird girl who is now pregnant for no reason and I gladly accept that people are finally avoiding me. I never did like how people just happened to love without knowing who I was. I don't know who will end up reading this, but I must say that despite all of this I couldn't have asked for a happier life than the one that I live now.**_

_**-Amalthia Membrane**_

Dib stared long and hard at the paper than turned to Zim.

"Why do you care, why do you want me to know this? Shouldn't you be gloating about how amazing you are for finding this?"

"Because you know the one person that can tell me why my parents were killed."

"Your parents were Irken, why would anyone here know why they were killed."

"My parents were murdered on this planet and my mother isn't in any of the Irken records. Which means that something obviously went wrong for me to be on a separate planet as a smeet when my parents were killed.

"So you want to see if my dad knows what happened."

"Yes, Zim commands you to take me to your father unit and for you to ask him for me."

"Why do I have to ask?"

"Despite your father's brain being washed of all memory of this diary, he still holds animosity towards my father Axis Alcatraz."

"He was your-"

"Yes, yes. Gap latter! Now answers from your parental figure must ensue after school."


	12. At the Grave

School finally ended, a gift that would not go unthanked. Normally Dib wouldn't help Zim, but he had some questions of his own. Dib stormed home, Zim snuck behind him.

"Dad, I need to talk to you."

"Have you finally found the joy of real science?" Membrane asked.

"No it's about something else."

"O.K. then." Membrane said resuming work.

"It's about Alcatraz."

"The prison?"

"No, I have been having issues with Zim, the alien, he says that his father was Axis Alcatraz."

"Of course, no wonder you were infuriated by the foreign boy. You always were a brilliant judge of character."

"He stole your journal." Membrane froze.

"Kill him."

"Da~ad!"

"Right, get it back then kill him."

"Would you listen to me!"

"…yes son."

"Well mom was killed by the same person who killed his parents' right? I was hoping you would know why."

"Son I'm not a psychologist, all I know is that you mother had some… strange friends."

"So you don't know anything that could help us?"

"Look son, I'm sorry but it one of the things science can't explained. Your mother was buried near an old house they used as a club. Maybe you would like to go there?"

"…thanks dad."

Break

Dib knelt in front of his mother's head stone, the wind ran through the tall grass. Zim found the grave of his own parents. The private cemetery was to the side of an old, black house. All the doors had been sealed to prevent anything from coming inside.

"There's nothing here." Zim muttered sitting on the ground. He didn't like not having all the answers.

"Zim… I'm sorry."

"Zim doesn't need you… what?"

"I said I'm sorry."

"Why, it's not your fault some worm baby managed to slaughter my parents. You were an even more pathetic smeet at the time."

"I didn't exactly help that much either."

"That's for sure… if only Zim knew what happened."

**AN: This is the 'end', but I have a flash back chapter coming so you know what happened**


	13. In Memory of Del

Del was rocking a smeetly Zim, the house was deadly silent.

"Axis?" A crash came from a room in the house, "Axis, what's wrong?" Del walked into the living room, two elite soldiers were searching the house while Axis was trying to fight them off. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Axis insisted, "the massive seems to think otherwise."

"Del, you have been summoned to the massive." A soldier said.

"No, I'd rather stay here." Del said backing away.

"That was not a request." The other soldier stated making an advance. Axis attacked him with a makeshift PAK leg.

"Del take Zim and get out of here." He shouted, Del nodded caring her smeet out the back door. A sickening crunch came from inside the house as one of the soldier as one of the guards followed her. Del cried but kept running clutching her smeet. Two other guards cut her off and carried her to a voot. She kept Zim's tiny sleeping form against her chest. Gir watched helplessly from the ground as the voot took off. He had to bury his old master as was protocol and hoped that the lady returned soon. Del was dragged to the main deck where the Tallest Miyuki was waiting for her.

"It had been a while since you ran away from you last test evaluation." Miyuki stated, "This wouldn't have anything to do with how easily your dead PAK can pop of your back, especially since you still need it to survive."

"Why couldn't you leave me alone?" Del sobbed

"I see that a defective like yourself can't understand rank. Honestly I would have left you alone, were it not for the fact you have kidnapped a perfectly capable invader."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your smeet has not been labeled a defective like yourself Del. He's perfectly fine despite that he's PAKless. We can give him a wonderful upbringing on Irk if you would just hand him over."

"But Zim is not like the others. There was no incubator when we made him. You have to promise that he'll do something great for the empire." Del said reluctantly handing over her smeet, Miyuki took him.

"Naturally, he will be very useful in the cross project."

"He'll die if you do that, you can't!"

"I can he belongs to the empire now."

"He's not the empire's smeet, he's my smeet! I have the stretch marks to prove it!" She wailed, "Please, My smeet…" She broke down, Spork came up behind her.

"Come now, the worst's over now."

"You don't understand, he'll die!" Del sobbed, "Unless…" She stood up and ran to the voots and stole a ship to head back to Irk. Gir was overjoyed to see his mistress return, but she looked so distraught. She dug through her old friend's house and growled, leaving a note on the door. Somewhere among the mess she had made her PAK sat oblivious to the fact it's owner had run off in a panicked state. Amalthia came to the forest.

"Del, is that you? I got your note after you and Gir ran out of the house. Why do you need the abyss serum?"

"The Tallest have stolen my smeet, they are going to kill him with their foolish tests. Without the serum he'll die I- You wouldn't understand."

"I do, I have a son too, I'll give it to you."

"Thank you!" Del handed the serum to Gir. "Give the serum to Zim, guard him with your life." Gir nodded and flew off, Amalthia gasped.

"Del, your PAK, it's gone!"

"Just as well, when the massive receive word that I'm dead they'll leave this planet alone. Especially since Tane's taken it off the star charts." She chuckled weakly, "Your son, what's his name?"

"Dib, yours?"

"Zim."

"I wish they could have met." Amalthia sighed as she watched her friend's life flicker like a candle. That night Zen had come looking for the abyss serum which was already halfway across the galaxy. He had killed Amalthia and searched the two corpses for any sign of the glass bottle. Someone found Axis and called the police. The three were buried and the two boys grew up on two different sides of the universe completely oblivious to how close they would become.


End file.
